Parliament Term Extension Published in Official Gazette

The parliament's decision to postpone the upcoming elections and extend its term 17 months because of deteriorating security conditions related to Syria's turmoil was officially announced and published in the official gazette.

Friday's extension decision comes after rival blocs in the legislature failed to agree on a new elections law.

Both pro- and anti-Syrian blocs in parliament agreed on the extension, with one exception being the Free Patriotic Movement of MP Michel Aoun, which has the second largest bloc in parliament.

Aoun and President Michel Suleiman have said they will challenge the extension, although that is unlikely to affect Friday's decision given the size of the majority.

The decision also drew wide western criticism as the European Union said on Friday it regrets that the polls will not be held at the end of the mandate of the Parliament, as scheduled on 16 June 2013.

A statement issued by the EU urged “all the political parties to use the extension to agree on an electoral law, and fix a new date for elections.”

Ninety-seven legislators in the 128-seat body voted to extend parliament's term until November 20, 2014, in a session that lasted only 10 minutes.

The decision, which had been expected, marks the first time that parliament has had to extend its term since the country's own 15-year civil war ended in 1990, and underlines the growing turmoil in the country spilling over from the conflict in its neighbor.

It is widely seen as a blow to Lebanon's tradition of free elections, but it may help lower tensions at a critical time for the fragile and deeply divided country.